Down Has a Few Songs Done, Plan to Get Back in the Studio Next Month
Southern metal stalwarts and supergroup Down have been relatively silent for years now. I mean, it’s been a decade since their last studio effort, Down IV — Part Two, was released. Remember when they had plans for five EPs including a covers album and an acoustic dealy? I sure as fuck do.
Well, apparently the guys also remembered that they liked making music together, because in a recent interview with Shawn Ratches of Laughingmonkeymusic (as transcribed by Blabbermouth), drummer Jimmy Bower confirmed that work has been underway on the band’s next official release.
“We got together about a month or two ago, and we were practicing with just me, Pat [Bruders, bass], Kirk [Windstein, guitar] and Pepper [Keenan, guitar]. Phil [Anselmo, vocals] lives on the other side of the lake [in Louisiana]. We got together over at his house for a weekend, and we have seven songs, man. We’re supposed to get together again in April, and then talk about recording, trying to get this thing out.”
Since 2014, most of the dudes have splintered off into their respective main jobs: Phil Anselmo’s touring the world in the Pantera tribute act; Kirk Windstein’s been busy with Crowbar and Eye Am; Pepper Keenan’s had Corrosion of Conformity shit going on lately; Jimmy Bower’s been off with Eyehategod; and Pat Bruders has played with Saint Vitus.
When asked about how Anselmo’s attention being so focused on Pantera has affected work on the new Down material, Bower said the vocalist has been easy to work with even when he’s constantly on the move.
“Phil’s amazing to write with because he’s really good with arranging, and he’s just really witty with his arrangements and bridges and stuff like that, that, I’d be, like, ‘Damn, I would have never thought of that.’ And that’s the beautiful thing about DOWN — it’s a room filled with dudes that are witty with their songwriting and stuff like that. We can write all day without Phil, but when he’s there, it’s that much better. It really is. ‘Cause he’d be, like, ‘Do this four times. Go into the bridge, then go back to the verse, and then we’ll do a pre-chorus, and next thing you know, you’ve got a killer song.
“He’s such a songwriter, it’s ridiculous. And he’s super, super fucking talented. Sometimes I read comments about people’s misconceptions, and I just hold my tongue. ‘Cause I know the truth. The dude can jam his ass off. It’s just really fun to write with Phil. He’s always in a killer mood, especially when we’re being creative. We’ve been in so many bands together.”
Here’s hoping we get to hear some new Down material sooner, rather than later.
